hestruggledwiththebatchofyellowpaperunderhisarm,gotitstraightenedout,andnoddedtome.iwatchedhimheaveopenthedoorandgoonin.ieaseduponthebrakeandtheoldsslidoutfromthewhitecurb,andthatwasthelastisawofhowardspencer.

igothomelateandtiredanddepressed.itwasoneofthosenightswhentheairisheavyandthenightnoisesseemmuffledandfaraway.therewasahighmistyindifferentmoon.iwalkedthefloor,playedafewrecords,andhardlyheardthem.iseemedtohearasteadytickingsomewhere,buttherewasn’tanythinginthehousetotick.thetickingwasinmyhead.iwasaone-mandeathwatch.

ithoughtofthefirsttimeihadseeneileenwadeandthesecondandthethirdandthefourth.butafterthatsomethinginhergotoutofdrawing.shenolongerseemedquitereal.amurdererisalwaysunrealonceyouknowheisamurderer.therearepeoplewhokilloutofhateorfearorgreed.therearethecunningkillerswhoplanandexpecttogetawaywithit.therearetheangrykillerswhodonotthinkatall.andtherearethekillerswhoareinlovewithdeath,towhommurderisaremotekindofsuicide.inasensetheyareallinsane,butnotinthewayspencermeantit.

itwasalmostdaylightwhenifinallywenttobed.

thejangleofthetelephonedraggedmeupoutofablackwellofsleep.irolledoveronthebed,fumbledforslippers,andrealizedthatihadn’tbeenasleepformorethanacoupleofhours.ifeltlikeahalf-digestedmealeateninagreasy-spoonjoint.myeyeswerestucktogetherandmymouthwasfullofsand.iheaveduponthefeetandlumberedintothelivingroomandpulledthephoneoffthecradleandsaidintoit:「holdtheline.」

iputthephonedownandwentintothebathroomandhitmyselfinthefacewithsomecoldwater.outsidethewindowsomethingwentsnip,snip,snip.ilookedoutvaguelyandsawabrownexpressionlessface.itwastheonce-a-weekjapgardenericalledhardheartedharry.hewastrimmingthetecoma—thewayajapanesegardenertrimsyourtecoma.youaskhimfourtimesandhesays,「nextweek,」andthenhecomesbyatsixo’clockinthemorningandtrimsitoutsideyourbedroomwindow.

irubbedmyfacedryandwentbacktothetelephone.

「yeah?」

「thisiscandy,señor.」

「goodmorning,candy.」

「laseñoraesmuerta.」

dead.whatacoldblacknoiselessworditisinanylanguage.theladyisdead.

「nothingyoudid,ihope.」

「ithinkthemedicine.itiscalleddemerol.ithinkforty,fiftyinthebottle.emptynow.nodinnerlastnight.thismorningiclimbupontheladderandlookinthewindow.dressedjustlikeyesterdayafternoon.ibreakthescreenopen.laseñoraesmuerto.friocomoaguadenieve.」

coldasicewater.「youcallanybody?」

「sí.eldoctorloring.hecallthecops.nothereyet.」

「dr.loring,huh?justthemantocometoolate.」

「idon’tshowhimtheletter,」candysaid.

「lettertowho?」

「señorspencer.」

「giveittothepolice,candy.don’tletdr.loringhaveit.justthepolice.andonemorething,candy.don’thideanything,don’ttellthemanylies.wewerethere.tellthetruth.thistimethetruthandallthetruth.」

therewasalittlepause.thenhesaid:「sí.icatch.hastalavista,amigo.」hehungup.

idialedtheritz-beverlyandaskedforhowardspencer.

「onemoment,please.i’llgiveyouthedesk.」

aman’svoicesaid:「deskspeaking.mayihelpyou?」

「iaskedforhowardspencer.iknowit’searly,butit’surgent.」

「mr.spencercheckedoutlastevening.hetooktheeighto’clockplanetonewyork.」

「oh,sorry.ididn’tknow.」

iwentouttothekitchentomakecoffee—yardsofcoffee.rich,strong,bitter,boilinghot,ruthless,depraved.thelifebloodoftiredmen.

itwasacoupleofhourslaterthatbernieohlscalledme.

「okay,wiseguy,」hesaid.「getdownhereandsuffer.」